


A (Real) Support

by mabariis



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: A-support (Fire Emblem), Gen, implied jakob/mc but it's not the focus so I'm not putting it in the relationship tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 13:25:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17122220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mabariis/pseuds/mabariis
Summary: A timely intervention from his mother changes the course of Jakob and Dwyer's relationship for the better. Where Jakob faces his personal issues and chooses to admit how they've possessed him. A conversation that takes the place of the canon A-support.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prologue takes place right after the end of the B-support.

Jakob’s hold on Dwyer’s ear was an unwavering pincer as his father dragged him along. As far as Jakob was concerned, this was warranted – one never learned proper respect without discipline, and something about Dwyer showing him up in any way made him feel small, which was simply unacceptable.

Dwyer, for his part, had given up on protesting after his first few shouts were ignored. He hadn’t intended this outcome by any means, but sometimes when it was just him and his father they ended up butting heads no matter what he did. This, though? This was new, and Dwyer was very much dreading it.

 

“Uhh, whhhhhhere are you going?”

 

Jakob stopped so abruptly that Dwyer almost ran into him. His hold on Dwyer’s ear remained firm as both of them turned to look at Dwyer’s mother. She stood a few feet off, her hands on her hips, looking at them suspiciously.

Dwyer noticed the change in his father immediately. Back straightened, feet together, his free arm tucked behind his back. Butler mode again. Dwyer’s own shoulders sank with a sigh.

“Lady Ione,” Jakob replied, “I intend to test our son’s skills in combat, since he thinks he has so thoroughly surpassed his father!” His anger leaked into his tone the more he spoke.

“Yeahhhh, that’s not happening.” She shook her head and waved towards herself. “Jakob, come on. Let’s talk.”

“But-!”Jakob gestured exasperatedly to Dwyer, not yet letting go.

She let her arms down. “Please.”

Jakob sighed, releasing Dwyer’s ear from the pinch of death. “As you wish, my Lady.” He followed her off to her private quarters without another word, and Dwyer traipsed away before he could get caught up in anything again.


	2. Support

When Jakob found his son again, Dwyer was practically falling asleep standing up, leaning on his staff to stay upright. Honestly, at that point, Jakob wondered why his son didn’t just go off to take a proper nap like was his usual. It serviced him well at this moment, though.

He set his hand gently upon his child’s shoulder. “Dwyer,” He called.

Dwyer jolted, pulled back into wakefulness. Hearing his father’s voice was a nightmare, right?

 

“Can we talk?”

 

Nope. Not a nightmare. Just a living one. He clutched his staff a little tighter, keeping his back to Jakob. “Uhhh, I’m a...little busy right now. How about I find you again later?” He waited for the grip on his shoulder to tighten before he got pulled away. Instead, he heard Jakob inhale slowly.

“Dwyer. Please.” Jakob’s words came as a quiet plea, and not the demand Dwyer expected. “I understand we hardly left off in a good place, but...” He withdrew his hand. “...I would...greatly appreciate if we could speak privately. Will you come with me?”

The change in his demeanor was...startling, enough so that Dwyer was blown away enough to actually agree. He turned to face his father. “Alright….lead the way.”

 

Jakob held the door to his and his wife’s private quarters, gesturing to his son to go through. Dwyer hesitated, clearly wary, but when Jakob didn’t budge he reluctantly entered first. Dwyer glanced around the room as he waited to hear the click of the door behind him. He expected yelling, shouting, some kind of outburst as soon as doors were closed, but nothing came. Increasingly perturbed, he started to turn around.

“If you wanted to talk, then...” The words died upon his lips. There, in front of the door, Jakob remained frozen in a bow.

“………….Father?”

“I’m sorry.” He spoke from his position, bent deeply at the waist. “I have been terribly out of line with you, and for that, I am sorry.” He righted his posture, smoothing his vest back out as he stood. “I know it will not make things right, but would you allow your father the chance to explain himself?”

Dwyer blinked a few times. This was, perhaps, the most honest and direct he had ever seen Jakob – or, at least, the most honest and direct he had been in a long time. “…..Sure. Um, should I...sit, or…?”

Jakob pulled a chair out from the small table, walking past it to pick up a tray already set with two teacups and some cookies. He placed it down on the table before sitting across from his elder son. “I took the liberty of preparing something for us just before I came to find you. You do not need to touch it if you do not want.” Dwyer grabbed a cookie, nibbling on it.

Jakob took another deep breath. “Is there anything you want to say? Get it out now, what I have to say might take a while.”

Dwyer paused thoughtfully. “...Should I say this is weird? Because this...is pretty weird, for you.”

Jakob laughed, looking off to the side. “Yes, well, your mother does have that affect on people. Is that all you wish to say?”

Dwyer finished his cookie. “...Yeah.”

“Then I suppose there is no putting this off any longer.” Jakob turned back to face Dwyer. “Dwyer. I do not think I need to say that I...have not always been the best father to you. Please, don’t make whatever face or comment you are about to make.” Dwyer closed his mouth.

Jakob broke eye contact again, staring into the teacup his fingertips were restlessly drumming. “How much have I told you of my own childhood?”

With a bored deadpan, Dwyer replied as if rattling off a memorized speech, “You worked yourself to the bone every day, enduring grueling-”

“Did I ever tell you why?”

Dwyer flipped through his memories. “…...because you messed up a lot, right? I think you told me that one time when I was little.”

“That is a part of it, yes.” Jakob took a small sip of his tea. “But not all. I started on the path of servitude when I was left, rather unceremoniously, at the castle by my parents.”

Dwyer’s eyes widened. “I...don’t think you’ve ever told me about them before. My grandparents.”

Jakob snorted. “That’s because there is nothing to tell. They were heartless aristocrats who abandoned their child at their earliest convenience, once they were sure they didn’t want him.” He tightened his grip on the teacup. “I know we could not always be there as you grew, but we...I never wanted you to feel left like that.” Dwyer stared down into his own cup.

“I became a manservant because I _had_ to. Without the comforts of aristocracy, or even family, I had a narrow choice of paths I could take. A path I...perhaps unjustly forced upon you as well.

“And yes, I was useless when I began. So much so, that none of the other servants wanted anything to do with me, either.” Jakob sounded bitter as he spoke. “They all saw me as a nuisance...perhaps rightfully so. I was dreadfully incompetent, and I didn’t have any real desire to improve. That damned old fiend and his ruthless ‘training’ didn’t change my mind, either.”

“That...sounds pretty rough,” Dwyer offered.

“Yes...I suppose it was,” Jakob mused. “But it got to be enough that they were prepared to dismiss me. It was only by your mother’s grace that I was allowed to stay, and that I devoted myself to my task.” He shifted in his seat, crossing his legs and leaning back. “I say all this, not to give you some sob story, but so you can understand when I say that from that point on, I placed the entirety of my worth upon how good of a butler I became. I knew that if I was no longer found useful, I could be tossed out like the prior day’s garbage. All that kept me housed and fed was mastering all I could to serve my liege.”

Dwyer could only sit there in silence, absorbing it all slowly. He’d felt pressured by his father to do well as he grew, but not...like that. When he was younger, he’d thought sometimes that Jakob would exaggerate how rough his training had been, just so that what he demanded of Dwyer would seem minor in comparison. To think Jakob had been sparing him the worse details.

“I’m...sorry,” he finally forced out. Jakob shook his head, relaxing his posture for a moment.

“You need not be. You had no influence in this.” He straightened his back again, closing his eyes. “However...it is because of this, that I...have difficulty being shown up by anybody.” He tapped his pointer fingers together idly. “For someone to surpass me, well...it would mean I am no longer the best at what I do, and if that is the case, what becomes of me, mm?” Dwyer wouldn’t normally believe it, but he thought he saw tears starting to brim along his father’s sight. “What can a man whose whole life has been devoted to being the best butler do when he’s no longer that?”

Dwyer reached out reflexively. “Father, I...” He put his hand down on the table instead. “...I wouldn’t have tried so hard to show you up if I’d known.”

“I like to think we would not have gotten to that point if I had realized it sooner.” Jakob set his right hand atop his son’s. “It was only through talking to your mother that I became aware of it myself, at least on a conscious level.” He chuckled again, wiping at the corners of his eyes with his left hand. “I feel as though I am completely useless without her.”

Dwyer offered a rebuttal. “Um, I don’t...think she’d say that. Mother cares about you. For more than just your laundry list of skills. She...really loves you. For you.” It felt embarrassing to say, but, “Maybe...I kinda see why.”

Jakob laughed – an outright, honest laugh that had him covering his mouth. “You are too kind!” He said. “I ask you here to try and explain why I’ve been so horrible, and instead of spitting on me or demanding I repay the pain I’ve caused you, you offer me comfort. You truly have surpassed me, Dwyer.”

Dwyer had to laugh at that as well. “Never thought I’d hear you say that, Father.”

“Indeed, it’s probably long overdue.” Jakob sipped his tea again. “I know all of this does not make up for what has come before, but...going forward, I want to be a better father to you, and to Kana. You deserve that much.”

It was Dwyer’s turn to feel emotional, and he grasped his almost empty cup to keep a firm hold against something. “If you can become half as good a father as you are a butler...I think you’d get up there in the top dads category.”

“Such unusually high praise. Are you coming down with something?” Jakob reached over to feel Dwyer’s forehead, Dwyer swatting him away with a laugh as he got up from his chair.

Jakob let out a long, cathartic sigh, closing his eyes and sliding from his seat to stand beside the table. “Well. Thank you for listening to me drone on. I truly-" He stopped abruptly as he felt Dwyer wrap his arms around to give him a tight hug.

“I love you, Father,” he mumbled. Jakob returned the embrace.

“I love you as well, my son. And I will try to be more honest about that.”

Dwyer pulled back, breaking the hug. “Think you’ll be more honest with everyone else?” He asked.

“Heavens no,” Jakob replied. “If they know I like them, they’ll expect consistent niceties, instead of just being surprised when I do something for them unprompted.”

“Hm. Maybe I _do_ still have things I can learn from you.”

 

Jakob escorted Dwyer back over to the door, and for the first time in a long while, there was a sense of peace between them.

**Author's Note:**

> I really didn't like the canon A-support and figured my MC would've intervened before their fight, so I wrote this out instead. Someone please teach this man he has worth as a human being because he needs to know.


End file.
